Konnichiwa.

While the film’s narrative initially presents itself as a rather conventional take on the murder mystery genre, Kore-eda’s direction slowly envelops into a complicated and deceptive framework that slowly focuses and deconstructs Shigemori’s understanding of truth as an attorney attempting to defend a man accused of a heinous crime.

Notwithstanding some of the conventions associated with the transformative hero trope, Ken’s process in understanding his newly acquired status as a ghoul is what drives the uniqueness of Tokyo Ghoul’s narrative.